You Are Your Hormones - A Lesson In Endocrinology (Insulin - Part II)

MONDAY, OCTOBER 24TH, 2011

Open Class 5:00pm

Baseball/Softball Class 6:30pm

Foothill Boy's Varsity Basketball 7:30pm

ENDOCRINOLOGY

You Are Your Hormones

When we last left off the question was posed, "So, no insulin is good right?" This, after a fairly decent shalacking of insulin effects in Thursday's Endocrinology post.


The obvious answer here however, is "WRONG". In fact, when someone has no insulin or extremely low levels of insulin, it's referred to as Type 1 Diabetes. With Type 1 Diabetes the beta cells in the pancreas (these cells produce insulin) are destroyed producing little or no insulin.

• I find it important to note here that the greater medical body will suggest that Type 1 Diabetes is lifelong (chronic) disease for which there is no cure and one would be forced to take insulin injections every day for the rest of their lives if diagnosed with it. This may be true of some, but I have heard first-hand from people who have caught this disease in its early stages and have reversed it. Furthermore, I have also met Type 1 Diabetics who have easily gotten their insulin levels under control. In each case this was accomplished by eating a Paleo-oriented, low-carbohydrate diet accompanied by brief bouts of exercise. This combination has been shown to be a recipe for improved insulin sensitivity. If you or a loved one is struggling with Type 1 Diabetes I believe it is worth your time to read the book by Dr. Richard Bernstein titled, Diabetes Solution.

At the peripheral level, insulin is a key player in inflammation regulating fertility, neurotransmitter status, and more. The right level of inflammation will actually keep us healthy. The trick here is not to increase insulin in our body but to improve "Insulin Sensitivity". In other words, for health, we want low insulin levels but we want to get the most from that insulin that we can. Under this condition of insulin sensitivity our body has the ability to regulate blood glucose levels. Improved insulin sensitivity is accomplished through proper amounts of exercise, sleep, as well as proper nutrition.


When our body responds favorably to insulin and we have low levels of insulin (this means good insulin sensitivity) we find:

• Low systemic inflammation


• Increased fertility


• Increased Neurotransmitters (Depressed/Happy, etc.)


• MUCH, MUCH MORE! (Literally affects EVERYTHING)

This is all great! However, on the other side of the fence we have what is called "Insulin Resistance". Under this condition our body is rendered unable to regulate blood glucose levels and all of the positive effects from good insulin sensitivity bulleted above are reversed (high systemic inflammation = disease/death, decreased fertility, decreased neurotransmitters = depressed, and MUCH, MUCH MORE! Literally negatively affects EVERYTHING).

Coach Justin
PerformanceQuestFitness@gmail.com